Elevator-controlling apparatus



Patented Mar. 28, I899.

' M. B. McLAUTHLlN.

ELEVATOR CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 Shoets-Sheet I.

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M. B. MGLAUTHLIN. ELEVATOR CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

' (Application filed Apr. 12, 1898.) (N 00 5 SheetsSheat 2.

vm l 60 no. 62!,970. Patented Mar. 28, I899.

INVENTUP:

No. 152L970. Patented Mar. 28, I899. M. B. McLAUTHLIN.

ELEVATOR CONTROLLING APPARATUS. (Application filed Apr. 12, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 Shoets$hoet 3.

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No. 621,970. Patented Mar. 28, I899. M. B. McLAUTHLlN.

ELEVATOR CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-8heet 4.

WITNESSES} INA/ENTER: Max M M. vac. 6.

No. 62l,970. Patented Mar. 28, I899. M. B. McLAUTHLlN.

ELEVATOR CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 189B.)

5 Sheets-$heet 5.

(No Model.)

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W I w? puprauv sents a side view of the switch.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN l3. MOLAUTIILIN, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETS.

ELEVATOR CONTROLLLING APPARA'IUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,970, dated March 28, 1899.

Application filed April 12, 1898. Serial No. 677,842. (No model.) 7

To (tZZ whom it 'nmy concern:

Be it known that I, llIARTIN B. MoLAUTn- LIN, of l\[21ll6i1,l11 the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator- Gontrolling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric elevators and systems of control therefor.

It has for its object to provide improved controlling means for elevators; and to this end it consists in certain features of novelty in construction and arrangement, to be fully set forth in the succeeding description and the claims hereto appended with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a elevator mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention, certain devices forming a part of the invention being omitted. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Figs. e and 5 represent diagrammatic views showing different positions of the shipper-pulley and the rheostat. Fig. 6 repre- Figs. 7 and 8 represent views,partly in plan and partly in diagram, showing the switch in its two positions and illustrating its connections with the motor, rheostat, and line. Fig. 9 represents a side elevation showing a modified construc tion of certain parts of the switch. Fig. 10 represents a top plan view of part of the elevatormechanism,illiiistratingadevice forstopping the motor when the hoisting-cable slackens. Fig. 11 represents a side elevation of the same. Fig. l2 represents a detail plan view, which will be hereinafter referred to.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the embodiment of myinvention shown in the drawings and selected by me for the purpose of illustrating my invention awinding-drum and electric motor connected by the usual worm-gearing are employed, and a shipper-pulley operated by a shipper-rope which is cont-rolled in a suitable manner from the car is used to move the controlling mechanism. As the winding-drum is driven by a worm connected with the, motor shaft it is necessary to send a current through the motor to rotate its armature both in raising and lowering the car, and to effect this a novel reversingswitch is used, the movable meim bers of which are mounted directly on the shipper-pulley. This switchis connected with the compound-wound motor in such a manner that in reversing the motion of the armature current is sent in the same direction through the field, but in a'reverse direction through the armature.

I employ as a novel feature arheostat whose arm is operated by devices connected with both the hoisting mechanism and the shipperpulley and which is arranged so that in startin g the elevator-car from rest the shipper-pub ley is first moved to close the switch with the full resistance of'the rheostat in the armature-circuit. thereby passed through the motor-armature to start the motor, and as the latter gathers speed the arm of the rheostat is automatic ally moved by the action of the hoisting apparatus to gradually cut the resistance out of the armature-circuit until the full current passes through the armature. In stopping the car the rheostat-arm is entirely controlled by the shipper-pulley.

A further feature of novelty in my inven" tion is a stopping device under the control of the hoisting-cable. If for any reason the elevator-car should become obstructed in the well while descending, the slackening of the cable automatically actuatcs this device and causes it to stop the motor. The device is arranged so that the motor can be started again by the usual movement of the shipper-rope to raise the car.

Referring to the drawings, a is a base provided with standards a a, in which is jonrnaled the shaft Z) of the winding-drum Z), the latter being here shown in two sections 2 3, on which are wound the two sections of a don ble hoisting-cable 17 b 0 is the driving-motor, having a shaft 0, on an extension of which is mounted a worm 0?, which engages the teeth of a worm-gear b mounted on the shaft of the winding-drum.

d is the shipper-pulley or controlling-sheave, operated by a shipper-rope c1 and mounted to rotate on a sleeve 01, which is secured in brackets d (i mounted on the frame of the apparatus.

c is a brake operated by means of a brake A relatively small current is' TCO arm e, which is shown in its lowest position in Fig. 1. The said brake-arm is adapted to be engaged and raised by either one of two roller-studs (Z (Z mounted on the shipperpulley (Z. lVhen the hoisting apparatus is in motion, the rollers (Z d ordinarily stand vertically and maintain the brake-arm in a raised position,in which position the brake is thrown off and the motor-shaft is free to revolve. When the shipper-pulley is moved to open the switch,these rollers assume their horizontal position (shown in Fig. 1) and allow the brake-arm, which is provided with an adjustable weight e to descend and actuate the brake to stop the motor-shaft. During this movement the brake-arm and its weight materially assist in centralizing the shipper-pulley and throwing the switch open by reason of the downward pressure exerted on the stud (F, on which the brake-arm rests.

On the back of the shippenpulley (Z are mounted two metal blades (1 d, which form the movable members of the controllingswitch. The fixed members of said switch consist of two sets of contact-plates (Z d d and (Z (Z (Z mounted in brackets which project from the base a and are insulated from one another, and two contaetplates (Z (Z to which one of the shunt-terminals of the motor is connected, as will be hereinafter explained. The blade d on the shipper-pulley is arranged to pass between and electrically connect the switch-plates (Z and d or the plates (1" (1 depending upon the direction in which the elevator-car is to run. The blade (1 is arranged to connect the plates d, d, and d or the plates (1*, (Z and (Z Through the center of the sleeve d, on which the shipper-pulley is journaled, runs a shaftf. On this shaft is rigidly secured a friction-disk g, formed as a sprocket-wheel. Next to said disk and in frictional contact therewith is a second disk g, loosely mounted on the shaft and also formed as a sprocketwheel, and on the outer end of the shaft is splined an arm 7L. A third friction-disk g is splined to the shaftfbetween the disk g and the brackets (1 h" is a spring surrounding the shaft f and interposed between the arm 7L and the end of the sleeve (1. The tension of this spring is regulated by adjusting two lock-nuts 7L2 7L2 and moving the shaftf and disk 9 longitudinally in or out, so that a means is afforded of varying the pressure and hence the amount of friction between the disks 9 and g. The disk 9 is connected by means of a chain i with a small sprocket-wheel j, afiixed to the shaft 1) of the winding-drum, the said disk being thereby constantly rotated when the winding-drum is in motion. The disk 9 is connected by means of a longer chain 7.: with a sprocket-wheel m mounted on a shaft m, which carries the movable arm at of a rheostat m. The said rheostat has two segmental sets of contacts m m, upon one of which the arm m operates when the motor-armature turns in one direetion,while it operates on the other set when said arm atnre turns in the opposite direction.

A lost-motion connection between the shipper-pulley (Z and the shaftfis furnished by two pins or studs (Z (1 secured to or formed on the shipper-pulley and constituting stops adapted to cooperate with the arm or stop member h, as hereinafter explained.

The motor c,which I have illustrated, is provided with compound winding and is connected to the switch and the rheostat in the following manner, as shown in Figs. '7 and S: A wire 4c connects the contact-plates d and (1 with one terminal of the series winding 0 of the motor-field. The other terminal of said winding is connected to the line-wire 5 and to one terminal of the shunt-winding c of the motor-field, the remaining terminal of the winding 0 being connected by a wire 7 with the switch-plates d and d. The switchplates cl and d are connected to the line-wire 6. The switch-plate d is connected by a wire 8 with one armature-brush 0, while the other armature-brush c is connected by a wire 9 with the two upper end contacts of the rheostat m. The heel of the rheostat-arm m" opcrates on a metallic ring m which is connected by a wire 10 with the switch-plate d".

Referring to Fig. 7 and supposing the current to be coming from the line in the direc tion of the arrow 50, it will be seen that the current passes through the wire (3 and switchplate (i to the contact-blade d. There it divides, part going through the switch-plate (Z wire 7, shunt-winding c and wire 5 out; onto the line and part through switch-plate (1 wire I0, rheostat m, winding of armature, wire 8, switch-plate d, contact-blade (1 switch-plate (Z wire i, series winding 0', and wire 5 out onto the line.

Referring to Fig. 8, in which the position of the switch has been reversed and the arm on of the rheostat is on the other set of contacts, it will be noted that the current passes in the same direction as before through'the windings of the field and in an opposite direction through the winding of the armature, as indicated by the direction of the arrows. This causes the armature to revolve in an opposite direction.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: hen the motor is stopped, the shipper-pulley is centralized, so that the blades (1 and d,carried by said shipper-pulley,have

ICC

substantially a vertical position, and the arm I 7L on the end of shaftf occupies a depending position between the pins (1 and d substantially as shown in Fig. 1. The arm at of the rheostat occupies a corresponding depending position and is in contact with a long metal segment in, interposed between the two lowermostcontacts m. \Vhen the rheostat-arm is in this position and current passes, the full resistance of the rheostat is in the armaturecircuit, and as the arm moves up along one of the segments of contacts the resistance is gradually cut out until said arm reaches a position such as shown in Fig. 5, when full current is supplied to the armature. Supposing, then, that the operator by moving the shipper-pulley in a direction to raise the elevator-car throws it over to the left, the switch members then occupy the position shown in Fig. 8 and the motor is started with the full resistance of the rheostat in the armature circuit. This causes the windingdrum Z) to revolve slowly at first, with its shaft rotating in the direction of the arrow g Fig. 4, which produces a rotation of the disk g through the medium of sprocketj and chain 1'. The frictional contact of the disk g with the disk 9 causes the latter to rotate, and motion is transmitted through the chain It in the direction of the arrow y, Fig. 4, to the sprocket m and the rheostat-arm m causing the latter to move upwardly along the right-hand segment of contacts m and gradually cut the resistance'out of the armature-circuit. hen said arm reaches the last contact, it is restrained from further motion either by coming in contact with a pin m on the face of the, rheostat or by reason of the arm h coming in contact with the pin (Z as shown in Fig. 5, and causing the rotation of the shaft j and disk 9 to cease. The disk 9 continues to rot-ates and slips between the disks g and g Vhen it is desired to stop the elevator-car, the operator manipulates the shipper-rope and moves the shipper-pulley (Z in the direc tion of the arrow 2', Fig. 5. The current-supply is thereby cut off at the switch, and by reason .of the engagement of the arm h by the pin (Z the rheostat-arm m is moved downwardly until it reaches the contact m the shipper-pulley being then centralized, as shown in Fig. 1. When itis desired to lower the elevator-car, the operations are the reverse of those above stated. The shipperpulley is moved around to the right and the switch thrown to the position shown in Fig. 8, in which case the armature of the motor turns in a direction opposite to that in which it turned before, and the rheostat-arm m is moved onto the left-hand segment of contacts m by reason of the rotation of the frictiondisks in a direction reverse to their previous direction of rotation.

It will be noted on referring to Fig. 6 that the switch-plates (Z and d to, which the line wire 6 is connected, are cut off at their lower ends to make them shorter than the neighboring plates d" and (2. The short lower ends of said plates are also not diametrically opposite the upper ends of the plates (Z (Z (Z and d The result of this construction, as will be noted by observing the position of the contact-blades (Z d in Fig. 6, is to out the line off when opening the switch before breaking the internal circuits of the motor. In this way I am enabled to discharge the field through a closed circuit and also to safely dispose of the electromotivc forces, which result from the motor acting as a generator for an instant before it stops. Thus, referring to Fig. 8 and supposing the blades cl" d to be positioned as in Fig. 6, the plate d forming the line-terminal, is cutout; but there is still a complete circuit starting from blade (Z and going through shunt-terminal d, wire 7, shunt-winding 0 series winding 0, wire 4, plate d blade d plate d wire 10, rheostat m, wire 0, motor-armature, wire 8, and plate cl back to blade al It is clear that the switch-plates cl and (1, to which the terminal of the shunt-winding c is connected, might be made continuous with each other, as shown in Fig. 9, without alter-.

ing the operation of the switch, and the same is true of the plates 61 and at The shaft b of the winding-drum is screwthreaded at one end, and on the threaded portion is mounted a traveling gear I), whose teeth mesh with gear-teeth d", formed on the shipper-pulley. The hub of the gear 6 is formed with projecting bosses, and on the shaft 1) are secured two collars Z1 6 having bosses adapted to engage those on the gear. The gear travels longitudinally between the collars b I), being ordinarily held from rotating by its engagement with the teeth on the shipper-pulley, and after a certain number of revolutions of the winding-drum in either direction the gear is engaged by one of the collars and is rotated so as to rotate the shipper-pulley, and thus automatically open the switch.

I provide in connection with the shipper mechanism a device for automatically stopping the hoisting apparatus if the elevator car should become stuck in the shaft or obstructed in its descent, or if for other reason the hoisting cable should slacken. This device is illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, in which 0 is a horizontal shaft journaled in brackets 0 0, attached to the bed a. To said shaft are secured an arm 19, carrying at its upper end a shaftp, on which slides a traveling sheave 19 which bears against one section of the hoisting-cable 71 a weight-ar1n q, carrying a weight g, and an arm 0", carrying atits upper end a shaft r, on which are mounted two idle gears r and r one mounted opposite the traveling gear Z1 and the other opposite a driving-gear b secured to the end of the wind ing-dru m shaft 1). The gear 0, as here shown, is loosely mounted on the shaft 0', and its hub is formed with one half 0" of a claw-clutch. The other half 0" of said clutch is splined to the shaft andis normally held in engagement with the half 0 by means of a spring r abuting against a fixed collar 0". The gear 0' is fixed to the shaft 1''. It will be seen that by the aid of the weight g the cable-roller p is held against the cable b and the idle-gears r r are actuated in the direction of thegears b (2' but are separated therefrom so'long as the weight of the elevates-car keeps the cable taut. If for any reason the cable slackens while unwinding, the idle-gears are thrown into mesh with the gears on the drum-shaft IIO and motion of rotation is transferred from the driving-gear b to the gearb through the said idle-gears, thereby moving the shipper-pulley and throwing the switch open, so as to stop the motor The motor may be started again by the operator in a direction to raise the car by manipulating the shi pcr-rope in the ordinary manner, the teeth of the clutch r 1' being inclined in such a direction that the gear 2' rotates independently of the gear T when the shipper-pulley is moved in a carhoisting direction. In practice I have found it desirable to so construct the gears that r is brought into mesh with b before 0' meshes with 11 since otherwise two teeth of the latter two gears might ride on each other and prevent any of the gears from intermeshin In the present instance the teeth of the gear "r are made slightly shorter than their normal length by cutting off their crowns. The ellect of this is shown in Fig. 12, for when the gears are brought together their pitch-lines, whose location is indicated by the lines 53a and 1 would naturally coincide or osculate simultaneously; but the short teeth of gear 2' prevent it from meshing with its opposed gear Zfi until after the other two opposed gears have come into mesh.

I do not wish to be confined to the exact construction herein set forth, as the same may be variously modi lied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim- 1. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting apparatus including a winding-drum and an electric motor for actuating the same, a rheostat connected with the n'iotor-circuit, and mechanical devices connecting the hoisting apparatus and the rhcostat, whcrel y the movement of the hoisting apparatus actuates the rhcostat to vary the resistance in the motor-circuit.

2. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting apparatus including a winding-drum and an electric motorfor actuating the same, a rheostat connected with the motor-circuit, and a friction device connected with the hoisting apparatus and operating upon the rhcostat, whereby the movement of thehoisting apparatus actuatcs the rhcostat to vary the resistance on the motor-circuit In an elevator mechanism, ahoistingapparatus including a windingdrum and an electric motor for actuating the same, a rheo' stat connected with the motor-circuit, a shipper mechanism, and mechanical devices connecting the rhcostat with the hoisting apgaratus and with the shippermechanism,whereby both of the latter may actuate the rhcostat to vary the resistance in the motor-circuit.

I. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting apparatus including a winding-drum and an electric motor for actuating the same, a rheostatconnected with the motor-circuit, a shipper mechanism, a connection between the rhcostat and the shipper mechanism, and a frictional connection between the rhcostat a; s eve and the hoisting apparatus, whereby both the shipper mechanism and the hoisting apparatus may actuate the rhcostat to vary the resistance in the motor-circuit.

5. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting apparatus including a winding-drum and an electric motor for actuating the same, a rhcostat connected with the motor-circuit, a shipper mechanism, a driving mechanism connected with the rl1eostat,a lost-motion device furnishing connection between said driving mechanism and the shipper mechanism, and a frictional connection between the driw ing mechanism and the hoisting apparatus, the arrangement being such that both the hoisting apparatus and the shipper mechan ism may actuate the rhcostat to vary the resistance in the motor-circuit.

G. In an elevator mechanism, ahoistingapparatus including a winding-drum and an electric motor for actuating the same, a shipper mechanism, a resistance connected with the motor-circuit, a switch controlling the motor-circuit and actuated by the shipper mechanism, and devices connected with the hoisting apparatus and with the shipper mechanism and controlling the resistance, where by the movement of the shipper mechanism in a certain manner closes the switch with the resistance in the motor-circuit, and the resulting movement of the hoisting apparatus causes the resistance to be gradually cut out.

7. In an elevator mechanism, ahoisting apparatus including a winding-drum and an electric motor for actuating the same,a rheostat connected with the motor-circuit, a retary member having a positive connection vwith the rhcostat, and a second rotary member having a positive connection with the hoisting apparatus and having a frictional connection with the first rotary member, whereby the movement of the hoisting apparatus actuates the rhcostat to vary the resistance in the motor-circuit.

S. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting ap paratus including a winding-drum and an electric motor for aetuatingthe same, a rheostat connected with the motoreircuit, a rotary shaft positivelyconnected with the rheostat, a stop member on said shaft, and ashipper-pulley having separated stops adapted to engage the stop member on the shaft, the arrangement being such that the shipper-pulley may be moved to actuate the rhcostat and vary the resistance in the motor-circuit, and. may also be moved independently of said rhcostat.

9. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting ap paratus including a winding-drum and an electric motor for actuating the same, a rhcostat connected with the motor-cireu it,aswitch controlling the motor-circuit and having a movable member, a rotary shaft positively connected with the rhcostat, a stop member on said shaft, and a shipper-pulley carrying the movable member of the switch and having separated stops adapted to engage the stop member on theshaft, whereby the shipper-pulley may be moved to actuate the rheostat and vary the resistance in the motor-circuit, and may also operate the switch independently of the rheostat.

10. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting apparatus including a winding-drum andan electric motor for actuating the same, a rheostat connected with the motor-circuit, a rotary shaft, a shipper-pulley having provisions f or rotating said shaft, a friction-disk secured to the shaft and positively connected with the rheostat, a second friction-disk loosely mounted on the shaft and movable longitudinally thereof, the said second disk being in contact with the first disk and positively connected with the hoisting apparatus, and means for regulating the pressure between the friction-disks to vary the amount offriction betweenthem;

11. A compound-wound motor, and a reversing-switch therefor comprising fixed contacts or terminals connected to the source of curront-suppl y, the shunt-winding of the mo tor-field, the series winding of said field, and the armatnrewinding, and two movable conductors adapted to contact with the fixed terminals in two different arrangements, by which current is sent in the same direction through the field-windings but in reverse directions through the armature-windings.

12. A compound-wound motor, and a reversing-switch therefor comprising two sets of fixed members, each consisting of contacts or terminals connected respectively to the line or source of current-supply, the shuntwinding of the motor-field, the series winding of said field, and the armature-winding, and two movable conductors, one of which is adapted to connect terminals of the line, .shunt winding, and armature winding in either set,- and the other of which is adapted to connect terminals of the series winding and armature-winding in either set.

13. A compound-wound motor, and a reversing-switch therefor comprising two sets of fixed members each consisting of contacts or terminals connected respectively to the line or source of current-supply, the shuntwinding of the motor-field, the series winding of said field, and the armature-Winding, and two movable conductors, one of which is adapted to connect terminals of the line, shunt winding, and armature winding in either set, and the other of which is adapted to connect terminals of the series winding and armature-winding in either set, the construction and arrangement being such that in opening the switch the first-mentioned c011- ductor breaks contact with the line-terminal while it and the other movable conductor still complete a circuit through the shunt, series, and armature windings.

It. The combination of the lineelectrodes, the motor having field and armature windings, and a reversing switch having terminals or contacts connected with the motor-windings and the line-electrodes, said switch having two positions in which the said terminals are arranged to run the motor in reverse directions,the line-terminals being short so that contact is broken first thereat, the remaining switch-terminals being so arranged that when the line is thus disconnected, a closed circuit is preserved through the motor-windin gs and said terminals.

'15. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting mechanism including a Winding-drum and a motor, a mechanism for controlling said motor including a shipper-pulley having a gear on its shaft, a gear operated by the hoisting mechanism, a device adapted to connect the said two gears and cause the latter to drive the former and operate the shipper mechanism, and a pivotal bracket carrying said device and normally sustained by the hoistingcable so as to hold said device out of operative position.

16. In an elevator mechanism, ahoisting mechanism including a winding-drum and a motor, a motor-controlling shipper mechanism including a shipper-pulley having a gear on its shaft, a gear operated by the hoisting mechanism, and a device operated by the slackening of the hoisting cable and adapted to connect the said two gears, said device being constructed to effect a positive connection whereby the last said gear drives the first said gear and operates the shipper mechanism when the hoisting mechanism is moving in a car-lowering direction, and said device having provisions for permitting the move ment of the shipper-pulley in a car-hoistin g direction, when the device is in operative position.

17. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting mechanism including a windingdrum and a motor, a shipper mechanism including a shipper-pulley and a spur-gear whose rotation operates the same, a spur-gear operated by the hoisting mechanism, an opposed spurgear mechanism adapted to effect a driving c011- nection between the said two gears, and a ca ble-operated carrier supporting said mechanism and movable laterally toward and from the said two gears.

18. In an elevator mechanism, a hoisting mechanism including a winding-drum and a motor, a motor'controlliug shipper mechanism, and a device for effecting a driving con nection between the hoisting and shipper mechanisms, said device including a bracket movable by the slackening of the cable, a pair of gears carried by said bracket and adapted to engage respectively with the hoisting and shipper mechanisms, and a clutch connecting said gears and having inclined teeth and a yielding portion whereby the hoisting mechanism may operate the shipper mechanism when the former moves in a car-lowering direction, while movement of the latter in a car-hoisting direction is permitted.

19. A gear mechanism comprising a pair of ICC) IIO

relatively rotatable gears, one of which is a driving-gear, a second pair of gears opposed to the first pair and having a connection whereby one may rotate the other, and means 5 for bringing one pairof gears into mesh with the other pair, whereby the driving-gear of the first pair is caused to drive the other gear of said pair, the gears being arranged so that when brought together their pitch-lines would IO coincide sim ultaneousiy, while their teeth are so constructed that the driving-gear engages its opposed gear before the other two gears come in contact.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN I MCLAUTIIIJIN.

Witnesses I. W. PEZZETTI, A. D. HARRISON. 

